Lift for Heavy Transfers
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A VERSATILE SHIP IS HELPING SIMPLIFY THE TRANSFER OF CUMBERSOME MACHINERY TO NORTH-WEST MINERAL PROJECTS.
An innovative maritime encounter occurred on a remote part of the WA coast when the Seacorp vessel SCS Anne called at Koolan Island.
The SCS Anne recently rendezvoused with a barge to deliver a 250-tonne crawler crane to Aztec Resources Koolan Island Iron ore project for construction company Marine & Civil.
In addition to providing a direct shipping service to Koolan from Fremantle, the SCS Anne was used as a floating crane while the cargo was transfered and reassembled on the receiving barge.
The transfer of cargo, which included a 57m fully assembled boom, enabled the multi-purpose SCS Anne to showcase her ability to offer logistical and economic efficiencies to clients in remote locations.
The 105m SCS Anne regularly sails between Fremantle Dampier, Port Hedland, Wyndam, Broome and Darwin.
The ship is equipped with two 60-tonne crnes, located on the port side, tha can be operated tandem and lift 110 tonnes.
The vessel, with its unimpeded deck length of 65m, is ideally suited to shipping none time-sensitive and awkward over-dimensional cargo.
Marine & Civil construction operations manager Allen Sweet said the SCS Anne’s ability to handle awkward cargoes and rendezvous with barge operators enabled his company to avoid the double handling that would have been needed with other transport.
The vessel’s heavy-lift capacity ensured the crane could be transferred directly on to the piling barge.
“The alternative would have involved driving up the North Coastal Highway and then accommodating the more expensive option of taking a arge from a land-backed port facility.” Mr Sweet said.
Seacorp managing director Craig Thompson said the shipping service which was partly underwritten by the by the WA Government, offered the cheapest transport option for businesses and individuals in the region.
“Our crew, led by Captain Frano Silic, have years of experience discharging and loading heavy lifts to and from wharfs, and we regularly lift large boats to and from the water,” he said
“There are many opportunities along our vast coastline to offer a logistical and economic advantage for companies and individuals needing to locate heavy, oversized or hazardous cargoes.”
Peter Bilbe, managing director of Aztec Resources Koolan Island iron ore project, said the crawler crane would be used to lif and position pilings for building a wharf at Koolan.
The wharf facility would receive Panamax-size ships for exporting Koolan’s high-grade iron ore to markets in China and Japan.
Aztec, which plans to mine about four million tones of ore a year for at least nine years, would spend about $125 million on getting the mine up and running.
Mr Bilbe said the SCS Anne’s ability to cart heavy and oversize cargoes was appealing because it provided a direct means of carrying out operations that would normally require a truck and a barge
The 30-hour cargo transfer involved placing a 57m boon on barge and placing the bearers on a second barge to ensure a safe weight distribution.
The base of the crane was then discharged on to bearers in the centre of the barge.
When that was complete, two 26-tonne crawler tracks were put on to the barge and held in position until fitted.
The crane was then lowered from jacks on to the barge where the crawler tracks took its weight.
Counterweights were positioned on the crane until the transfer was completed.
The final stage of the cargo transfer saw the 57m boom lifted into place and attached to the base on the crane.
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